Alou gets 44 years over role in terror act

A Sydney man who played a key role in the terror killing of a police accountant gave a one-finger Islamic State salute and said "this is the beginning" after being sentenced to at least 33 years behind bars.

Raban Alou sourced the loaded gun used by Farhad Jabar - also referred to as Farhad Mohammad - to kill Curtis Cheng in October 2015.

The 58-year-old father of two was shot as he left Parramatta Police Headquarters.

Mr Cheng died instantly and Jabar, 15, was killed in an exchange of gunfire with police.

NSW Supreme Court Justice Peter Johnson on Thursday sentenced Alou to 44 years in prison with a non-parole period of 33 years for aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring a terrorist act.

It's the first time anyone in Australia has been convicted and sentenced for that offence.

Justice Johnson said Alou was an active planner who played a lead role in the murder and Jabar couldn't have committed it without his assistance.

Related Articles

He said the 20-year-old's outburst confirmed he felt no remorse and his prospects for rehabilitation were "almost hopeless".

Alou's lack of contrition was "demonstrated most starkly" in a prison phone call last year when he said "I do not regret one single thing that I did on that day" and "I'm never ever going to say I'm sorry for what I did".

"The wickedness and cowardice of the offender and Farhad Mohammad may be contrasted with the strength, courage, humanity, decency and dignity of the Cheng family in their response to this random act of homicidal violence," Justice Johnson said.

Mr Cheng's son, Alpha, said it was repulsive anyone could celebrate acts of violence and hatred.

But he didn't want to give fuel to Alou's actions in court.

"I try to block it out and not acknowledge what he's trying to do, which is to agitate and infuriate other people," Alpha Cheng told reporters.

The court heard Alou was trying to source a gun more than a week before Mr Cheng was killed on October 2, 2015.

Justice Johnson said there was significant planning involved and Alou, who also tried to obtain an IS flag to be used in the attack, was committed to carrying out a terrorist act.

He was prepared to exploit Jabar knowing the plan involved killing at least one or more people and the gunman could die, the judge said.

The then 18-year-old made requests to two people before a third person was able to provide a loaded Smith & Wesson .38 revolver the day of the killing. Alou gave it to Jabar during a meeting at Parramatta Mosque.

Alou will be 51 when he is eligible for parole in October 2048, with his sentence expiring in 2059.

But Justice Johnson warned him an application could be made for a continuing detention order requiring him to remain in prison at the end of his sentence.